Gate-fastener.



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APPLIOATION FILED. nro. 5, 1907.

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rnrnnfr PETER O. PETERSON, OF-WINONA, SOUTH DAKOTA.

GATE-FASTENER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented March 10, 1908.

Application filed December 5, 1907. Serial No. 405,242.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that LPETER O. PETnnsON,

a citizen of the United States, residing atk Winona, in the county of Emmons and State of North Dakota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gate-Fasteners, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to gate fasteners, morepartlcularly to that cl'ass of devices of this character employed in connection with the gates of wire fences, wherein a section of the fencing is arranged as a gate, and has for its object to simplify and improve the construction and increase the e'liiciency and utility of devices of this character.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in certain novel features of construction as hereinafter shown and described and specifically pointed out in the claims, and in the drawings illustrative of the embodiment of the invention z- Figure 1 is a side elevation of a gate of the class to which the invention is applicable, with the improved device connected therewith. Fig. 2 is a side elevation, enlarged, partly in section, of the improved device. Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2.

The invention herein disclosed is adapted more particularly for use in connection with gates employed in wire fence structures, and for the purpose of illustration is shown thus applied, 10-11 representing the posts defining the gate opening, with the wires 12 of the fence connected to the post 11 and continued toward the post 10 with their terminals connected to a supporting structure, this structure usually consisting of spaced bars 13-14. The post 10 is provided with a socket or step 15 near the ground, indicated at 16, in which the lower end of the supporting structure 13-14 is supported, as shown. in Fig. 1. The improved fastening device is applied to the upper end of the structure 13-14, and thus holds the upper end of the gate structure lwhile the lower end is held by the socket 15.

The fastening device comprises a lever member preferably formed of a single bar of metal bent centrally upon itself at 17 and continued at 18-19 for a distance with the parts spaced apart, and thence diverging, to form arms 20-21 adapted to bear upon opposite sides of the post 10 and swingingly connected thereto by a bolt or pin 22 passing through the post and likewise through the free ends of the diverging portions 20-21 of the lever. The post 10 is provided with a transverse aperture 23 opposite the lever member, and swingingly connected between the parts 18H19 of the lever is an arm 24 eX- tending through the aperture 23 and with a terminal hook 25 at its free end adapted to engage the transverse pin 26 extending through the members 13--14- The arm 24 is of sufficient length to engage the pin 26 by its hook 25 when the lever is in its upward position, and then when the lever is depressed into the position shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, a very strong strain will be applied to the structure 13-14 and thus stretch the wires 12 which constitute the gate bars, and co-acting with the step 15, hold the gate firmly in position. Swinging by a pin 27 between the parts 18-19 of the lever member is a pawl 28 having a terminal hook 29 adapted to engage beneath a plate 30 attached to the post 10'below the pin 22, the post preferably having a cavity 31 to receive the hook 29, as shown. The pawl 38 will be of the proper length to engage the plate 30 when the lever is in its downward position, and thus lock the lever, and maintam it and the strain upon the gate, the pawl having an o erating handle 32.

hen the gate is to be released, the lever will be depressed sufficiently to release the hook 29 from the plate 30, and then by elevating `the hook 25 will be released from the pin 26, leaving the structure 13-14 free to be elevated from its socket 15 and moved manually toward the post 1 1, the wires bending to permit this movement. When the gate is to be again closed the lower end of the structure 13-14 is again placed' in the socket 15, the lever manipulated to again engage the hook 25 of the arm 24 with the pin 26 and the strain again applied by depressing the lever and engaging the pawl 28 with its holding plate 30.

The device is simple in construction, may be inexpensively manufactured and applied to any form or size of post.

Having thus described the nature of the invention, what is claimed as new is 1. The combination with a gate structure and a gate post, of a lever swinging from the post, an arm swinging from the lever and with a hook at its free end adapted to detachably engage the gate, and a pawl swinging from said lever and adapted to be oonnected at its free end to the post and hold the lever in locked position.

2. In a device of the class described, two

posts spaced apart7 one oi" said posts having a transverse aperture, a socket connected to said apertured post, a gate comprising a plurality of spaced wires connected to the other of said posts and with the free ends coupled to a supporting structure, said supporting structure adapted to be stepped at one end in said socket, a fastening device comprising a lever formed with spaced sides and bearing upon opposite sides of said apertured post and pivoted thereto and with an arm pivoted between the sides of said lever and extending through the post aperture and adapted to detachablv engage said supporting structure, and with locking means between the lever and adjacent post.

3. 'lhe combination with a gate and a rate post having a transverse aperture, a lever formed with spaced sides and bearing` upon opposite sides or" said Aapertured post and pivoted thereto and with an arm pi'voted between the sides of said lever and extendingr .through the post aperture andv adapted to detachably engage said gate, and locking.

means between the lever and post.

ln testimonyv whereoi l allx my slgnature7 1n presence of two witnesses.

PETER (l. PETEHSOA.

iitnessesz M. J. ANDRUs, B. M. PnTnRsoN.

Correction in Lene@ raient No. 881,259.

It is hereby certified that the residence of the patentee in Letters Patent No. 881,259,

granted March 107 1908, upon the application of Peter O. Peterson, for an improvement in Gate-Fasteners, was erroneously Written and printed Wnona, South Dakota, Whereas said residence should have been Written and printed Winona, North Dakota; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same xnay conform to the record of the case in the Patent Ofce. n

Signed and sealed this 12th day of May, A. D., 1908.

[SEAL] C. C. BILLINGS,

Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

